Congratulations to 40below for achieving 10,000 greenlights on Fark. Also some of Fark's favorite Headlines of the Week for 10/4 - 10/10Posted by Drew at 2009-10-12 3:15:18 PM (443 comments) | Permalink

A lot of times before we get to the Headline of the Week, we do a little writeup on media trends, but this week we have a happy milestone to announce. Today, our most prolific submitter--you know him as 40below--passed 10,000 greenlights. Congratulations, sir, you've accomplished a feat that is difficult to imagine even among the regular submitters.

Considering that his account was created back in February 2004, that means he's averaged about 5.5 greenlights a day, every day since he joined. You may use your own adjectives for that, but I'm going to pick impressive.

While the importance of the Fark community cannot be downplayed, the submitters are often overlooked unless they come into a popular thread and take the occasional well-deserved bow. It's easy to recognize the popular posters because they're so visible, but the submitters provide so much of the entertainment value here. They're the ones that not only find fresh oddball and weird news stories, but then go the extra mile by crafting the headlines that have made nearly everybody here laugh at inappropriate times in the office, occasionally during meetings, and have made us all spit out our beverage of choice onto our keyboards.

Everybody who contributes to Fark in some small way makes this place better. And today, I want to give a nod to somebody who has helped make Fark into something special.

I moved to Tahoe with some friends when I was 21. I moved away at 24. One of my friends is still there. I was talking to him about a year ago and asked him when he was going to leave. In the last 15 years I'd graduated college, got a nice career, got married, had a kid, bought a house, saved for retirement, etc. I asked him what he'd done besides waiting table at Apple Bees. He said he'd bought 15 season passes at Heavenly and another 15 season passes at the golf course. He's now 41 and life is just passing him by. Soon we'll both be 65 and I'll be enjoying my retirement spending at least a month a year on vacation in Tahoe while he'll probably still be my waiter.

Do you see what I'm getting at 40below?

Then again, maybe you're just one of those 800lbs people I see on the Health channel that is confined to your house. If that's the case, keep up the good work!! :)

Drew:Considering that his account was created back in February 2004, that means he's averaged about 5.5 greenlights a day, every day since he joined. You may use your own adjectives for that, but I'm going to pick impressive.

Nice! That doesn't...wait for it...40 BeLOW!/accounted also created in February 2004//a measly 111 greens///grumble

"Calling out of other Farkers (in headlines): As odd as this may sound, not everyone wants attention on Fark. Specifically mentioning a fellow Farker in a headline or post (where the named Farker isn't participating) generates attention to a Farker who didn't intend it. This is not welcome on this site."

I think the submitter should be banned. Sorry Drew but it is the only way you'll learn.

It is curious Fark would choose to revel in this milestone. While I've no doubt 40below is exceedingly clever and witty, as well as a devoted Farker, 10,000 greenlights prove the headline approval process is nowhere near as democratic as a casual Farker might assume it to be. Then again, Fark has never professed to being a democratic environment.